Euphonetiks wrote:shrink wrote:Jody Smokz wrote:KAT for Trae straight up makes the most sense for both teams. KAT with Trae in ATL is a defensive disaster. Trae absolutely needs a big like Gobert for the team to be able to survive defensively. Murray with KAT would be a better pairing.
Maybe that makes sense for ATL, but MIN’s team is built for defense, with their future built on Ant, and the ball in his hands.
All MIN trades should be based on winning now, and complimenting Ant in the future. KAT compliments Ant as a big with a small. KAT compliments Ant with both an inside and outside game, that allows Ant to be freer when he chooses to go inside or outside. KAT compliments Ant because he wants to be in MIN, and if some newly traded talent wants to leave, Ant might go too. And KAT compliments Ant by being highly skilled, but still willing to be a #2 to let Ant ascend.
Then why is the vibe in Minny always seem to be to want to trade KAT? It would be pretty easy for you all to move Naz and NAW to get cap breathing room.
i think that might be the vibe nationally, and it comes from a few reasons:
1. I would say that here, WolvesWin many posts of Towns trades over-represents the team’s actual desire to trade him
2. Nationally, stories get lots of clicks if readers imagine a star joining their roster, especially big markets. KAT trades aren’t new.
3. This year there may be motivation from the owners to move “somebody” to reduce lux taxes, as you mention. KAT is simplest.
4. Naz Reid is a fan favorite, with a good story and fun handle to watch. People skip his weaknesses and think he could just be KAT.
I will note that you never hear news out of Minnesota that the team is looking for Towns trades. That’s not the vibe here. If the team had failed this season, or Finch had not been able to get the Towns-Gobert combo to work, you might have heard rumblings here, and perhaps even seen talk at the last deadline, before KAT’s salary jumped. But this kind of team success is especially rare in Minnesota, and I don’t think anyone here wants to do anything to hurt team chemistry.